Monday Morning Commute: Hail Lord Korgo!
For those of us in the United States, today is Presidents Day. If I’m not mistaken, the holiday came about by merging the observances of Washington’s Birthday and Lincoln’s Birthday, and then including every other dude to ever serve as commander-in-chief. Personally, I think that this inclusivity is a bunch of malarkey. I mean, Washington was pretty dope for setting the presidential precedents, so I get wanting to celebrate his life. And Lincoln? Hell, the dude freed the slaves and preserved the Union! Who doesn’t want to give Honest Abe a high-five?
So while there’ve definitely been a few president-studs, they’ve most certainly been outnumbered by the duds. As I sit around today, watching television and reading books and not doing an ounce of work, I’m going to pick and choose the presidents to whom I give thanks. It only seems right.
I’d like to start by giving mad props to Benjamin Harrison, known for serving a single term between President Grover Cleveland’s two terms! Truth!
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Without further adieu, welcome to the MONDAY MORNING COMMUTE! This is the spot where I ramble about some rubbish, and then show you the various ways I’ll be entertaining myself over the course of the week. Your task is to hit up the comments section and show off your own strategies for surviving the workweek.
Okay, let’s go for it.
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Obsessin’ Over/ATTACK THE BLOCK
About nine months after Cooper’s review, I finally watched ATTACK THE BLOCK. What do I think of Joe Cornish’s directorial debut? Well, to put it mildly – I’m obsessed. I’ve watched this movie about three times straight through, and I’ve used it as the white noise for all of my `round-the-house activities. ATB is a goddamn perfect film, using all of its eighty-eight minutes to hit the viewer with a blend of sci-fi/horror/comedy that’s been ever-elusive since the 1980s.
I really start to fall in love with ATB when I compare it to other recently-released movies of the same (general) genre. Take, for instance, Super 8 – a film that had a budget, producer, director, and cast that seemed to virtually guarantee the creation of a masterpiece. And yet, that flick is nothing more than a fun-but-hollow, enjoyable-yet-forgetable roller coaster ride. On the other hand, ATTACK THE BLOCK had a fraction of the budget and virtually no star power (apologies, Nick Frost), and I can’t stop thinking about it.
ATTACK THE BLOCK is just another piece of evidence to submit to the file labeled HUNGER BREEDS ARTISTIC INGENUITY!
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Crackin’ Up With/Life’s Too Short
I just caught HBO’s premiere of Life’s Too Short, the Ricky Gervais-produced mockumentary starring Warwick Davis. You may be unfamiliar with the name Warwick Davis, but chances’re that your familiar with (at least one of) his performances. After all, Davis is the dude behind some of the most recognizable of all little person roles, including Wicket the Ewok, that goddamn horrifying Leprechaun, and Filius Flitwick.
The pilot episode of Life’s Too Short sees Davis trying to disregard his wife’s request for a separating while getting back into the Hollywood game. Of course, there’s plenty of self-deprecation, with Davis waxing nostalgic for the good `ole days when we has starring in box-office juggernauts like Willow. An especially amazing moment comes in the form of Davis sitting in on a meeting in which Liam Neeson is trying to get improv comedy advice from Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant.
For some reason, Neeson has trouble being funny.
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Eatin’/Meatballs – ALL DAMN DAY!
Yesterday, I made a whole mess of meatballs on a whim. I don’t really know why I made them, but there was something in the cosmos egging me on. “Go ahead, Rendar, make the meatballs! They’ll be delicious! You can make folks happy by gifting meatballs unto them! And then you can eat some yourself!”
I followed the Fates.
And now that I’ve given away some meatballs, it’s time to chow down.
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So on this most glorious day of celebratin’ the life and work of President Benjamin Harrison, I’ve carved out a nice little path for my week.
Science fiction. Comedy. Meatballs.
What’s your week looking like?